Southeast Asia spent fifty years destroying its most useful coastline. It’s finally growing back, and Vietnam has the receipts. Nobody puts a mangrove forest on a postcard. Ask someone to picture Southeast Asia and you get white sand, a longtail boat, maybe a temple roof catching the light. Nobody pictures a tangle of grey roots
Around the Region Monsoon rain has put five eastern Thai provinces on flood watch this week, with harvests at real risk, while much of Western Europe swelters through drought conditions. Against that backdrop, this issue leans on recovery and renewal. Southeast Asia’s mangroves have quietly flipped from decline to regrowth, driven mainly by Indonesia and
Three new UNESCO biosphere reserves landed in June, including a first for Timor-Leste. What the designation is actually betting on, and what it asks of anyone who visits. Three places joined a very short list this June: UNESCO biosphere reserves, one of them a first for its country entirely. A biosphere reserve isn’t just a
Around the Region Low season is upon us, and the region is feeling a reduction in visitor numbers at community level. Each nation has its own way of attempting to plug the gap – and in Thailand’s case, that means taxing your arrival and your departure. If you’re flying out of Thailand this weekend, your
Around the Region Regular visitors to this region will understand that Southeast Asia’s natural environment is under more pressure than ever, yet the people working to protect it are making measurable progress. We attempt to champion the good, while recognising the bad. This week Thailand has announced a sustainable development plan for one of its
Around the Region For those of us in Bangkok who found ourselves knee-deep in flood water this week, this is merely a sign of things to come. Briefly, messily, typically a storm can see the water table in Thailand’s capital rise quickly. And this is why you’ll find many older Bangkok residents seeking retirement in
A major new report finds two in three captive elephants in Thailand live in poor conditions – despite the industry’s ethical re-brand. Here’s what the report actually says, and what you need to know before you go. The sanctuary had no riding. No shows. It had a logo with a lotus flower and a tagline
Your insider guide to Southeast Asia asiaunmasked.com Around The Region Bangkok in May has a quieter quality to it. The crowds have thinned, the streets feel like they belong to the city again, and the afternoon downpours have become part of the daily rhythm. It is, for those of us who live here, one of
Your insider guide to Southeast Asia asiaunmasked.com Your Week in Southeast Asia This week, in what is possibly the region’s most progressive country, Vietnam’s northern highlands, the world’s largest bamboo resort has just opened inside a national heritage landscape – offering us a reminder that luxury and environmental responsibility don’t need to pull in opposite
The Philippines’ most biodiverse island province is one of Southeast Asia’s great travel experiences – here is everything you need to make the most of it The bangka rounds a limestone cliff, the engine cuts, and a hidden lagoon opens up ahead. The water is so clear you can see the reef fifteen metres below
Thailand Built a Sustainable Tourism Model in Krabi. Now It’s Rolling It Out in Chiang Mai.
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They Were Feeding Wild Sharks to Give Tourists Their Insta Moment. Bohol Just Put a Stop to It.
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Vietnam’s Best Michelin Restaurants in 2026: The Practical Guide for Conscious Travellers
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